This Weeks Email Promotions

Save Over 20 Percent On The Latest Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet!

Yes, it’s here!  Each year around this time, Chateau Montelena releases its “Montelena Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon.  This perennial over-achiever is one of the most consistent, highly rated, and age-worthy wines produced in California.  Once again, winemaker Bo Barrett has crafted a wine with such distinction and disposition that its one-word description is “AWESOME!”  The 2006 vintage is being regarded as the most age-worthy in a decade; Wine Spectator calls the vintage, “the third excellent year in a row”, and acclaimed wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. has been extremely fond of this wine as well, as noted by his 92-point rating.

CHATEAU MONTELENA 2006 “MONTELENA ESTATE” NAPA VALLEY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON

ROBERT PARKER 92 POINTS!  -  “Revealing sweeter tannin and a softer, riper, fuller-bodied style, the 2006 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a beautiful, classic wine with loads of berry fruit, an earthy character, and a spicy, pure, rich finish. The silkiness of the tannins suggests this 2006 will be drinkable in several years. It is another candidate for nearly two decades of aging.” 

$104.95 Winery Price $135 750ml [244060] 

Fantastic Value Burgundys!!!

We had the good pleasure of tasting the 2007 releases from Regis Forey this past month and wanted to bring these two outstanding value reds to your attention. Burgundy fans will appreciate these fine wines for their finesse and purity. As importer Neal Rosenthal has pointed out “Always masculine in style, the wines show increased finesse in their extract. As a whole, they are floral and fresh with lots of black fruits and woodsy aromas—a vintage less tannic than its predecessor but perhaps even more balanced and classic. Quantities are reduced as harvest levels were one-third less than usual, comparable to 2003.”

REGIS FOREY 2007 VOSNE-ROMANEE

Here is a classic Vosne-Romanee that opens with the wonderful spicing one expects from this appellation. The palate is supple and flavorful offering a melange of mixed spiced cherry fruits with notes of blue fruit backed by fresh acidity and well integrated tannins. It’s showing nicely at the moment and it’s an especially good value for those trying good Burgundy for the first time or for experienced Burg fans as well.

$45.98 750ml [308567] 

REGIS FOREY 2007 MOREY ST. DENIS

Classic Morey St. Denis! Forey has produced a beautiful example of Morey with an expressive nose of red fruits and florals accompanying a rich and nicely textured fruit laden palate with a long finish. Considering the ever-increasing prices of Burgundy these days, Forey delivers exceptional pedigree and value.

$39.98 750ml [308562] 

A Dramatic and Flashy Spanish Trio!!!

This trio of wines from Spain are some of the most dramatic and flashy from the “new school” of Spanish winemaking. The Alto Moncayo wines are all 100% old vine Garnacha grown in the rocky foothills of the Pyrenees in the Campo de Borja region. This part of Spain is the historic home of the Grenache/Garnacha grape, which later found its way to the South of France and the Chateauneuf du Pape region. Spain clearly has the same potential for making extracted, serious, ageable Grenache that is found in the Southern Rhône Valley, but it’s only in the last 8-10 years that we’ve seen winemakers with the talent and willingness to reach for the top. The Alto Moncayo wines combine the great vineyard holdings of Barsao (the largest landowner in the region and the winery that brought Campo de Borja back from obscurity) with Australian winemaking superstar Chris Ringland.

Here’s a quick look at the track record in recent vintages for the Moncayo wines from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:

ALTO MONCAYO 2007 VERATON

All three wines are made from hillside plots of old vine Garnacha from the same 150 acre estate. Selection is rigorous and all done by hand, even for the “Veraton.” Only 500cs made. Look for the wild cherry and black raspberry liqueur fruit that is at the core of all three of these wines. Awesome value.

$23.99 750ml [378524] 

ALTO MONCAYO 2007

The flagship wine, but production is still quite small at about 1,000cs. Parker’s notes in past vintages say a lot for the style: 2004, “Spectacular,” “riveting intensity and palate staining extract;” 2005, “richer, more layered, and intense;” 2006 “a sexy concoction of toasty new oak, lavender, spice box, cassis, and black raspberry,” “voluptuous.”

$39.99 750ml [377592] 

ALTO MONCAYO 2007 AQUILON

Tiny production at only about 300 cases a year. If you been reading these notes, you will see these are modern, expressive, flashy wines. The “Aquillon” takes it all to the next level. We tasted this about a month ago and everyone in the room simply said “wow.”

$134.99 750ml [377724] 

A Super Tuscan Deal Not To Be Missed!!!

Tuscan red wines are available in great numbers these days but more often than not there seems to be less and less to differentiate them. With so many seemingly aimed at tasting more like California wines than Tuscan, we’re elated when we come across wines like those of Tenuta di Valgiano that really offer a sense of place.

Valgiano is a certified biodynamic producer that makes some seriously good wines. “Palistorti” is a wonderful blend of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and 10% Syrah from the Colline Lucchesi (located near Lucca in Northern Tuscany). The winery manages to capture some very delicious ripe fruit with excellent acidity and balanced tannins that together make this an intriguing wine.

We love great Sangiovese based wines from Tuscany when we come across them and this is definitely one not to miss. Additionally, we are able to offer it at a fantastic price due to the fact that Valgiano is in the process of changing their US importer.

TENUTA DI VALGIANO 2006 TOSCANA ROSSO “PALISTORTI”

WINE ADVOCATE 91 POINTS - “The 2006 Palistorti is 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and 10% Syrah. This medium to full-bodied, racy Tuscan red reveals gorgeous balance in its super-ripe red fruit. With time in the glass, the wine’s inner perfume emerges. The finish is long and sublime. This is a terrific effort at this level, and a wine well worth seeking out. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2016.”

Sale $21.98 Normally $31.98 750ml [302473] 

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